Rarely do we come across a smartphone around 30K that’s a spec sandwich with enough layers to keep gamers and casual users happy. The IQOO 7 5G impresses greatly. Yes, there are a couple of things to split hairs about but largely, this is among the best choices for those looking for a new smartphone.
Monster performer
Presented as a “gaming” phone, there are several things the IQOO 7 gets right. Having the Snapdragon 870 chipset is a clear winner. Though you can opt for Snapdragon 888 on IQOO7 Legend, the pricing is slightly higher and you won’t find much of a difference between the two sets. Compared to Realme X7 Max’s Dimensity 1200, SD 870 offers a more sustained performance. In case you like to play something like Call of Duty or Asphalt 9: Legends for one or two hours, you need a processor that won’t bother you with frame drops and other issues. Needless to say, every game can be played with graphic settings turned up to max.
The phone also features something called “dual chip”. The Intelligent Display Chip is not just a jargon to sell phones. What the second chip does is it upscales graphics for games or rather enhances frame rates. Be it any game, every movement on the screen translates into immediate effect. Game frame rate interpolation can enhance things greatly — up to 120 frames can be inserted in a game scene.
We are not done. There’s extended RAM, which gives a 3GB boost to the 8GB RAM and the liquid cooling system keeps temperatures under check. Since it’s perfect for gaming, the display is among the best, with 120Hz refresh rate, and there are zero complains while streaming or scrolling. Haptic feedback, which is important during gaming, is among the best.
There’s no shutter lag on the camera but the picture editor on the phone needs a better interface
Pictures taken at night retain all the colour details, like on this sample shot
Camera magic
Like we said, it’s not just a gaming phone. The camera outperforms Mi 11X time and again while matches the power of Realme X7 Max. The three-camera set up includes a 48MP shooter, 13MP ultra-wider snapper and a 2MP mono lens. The HDR performance will knock you out. Take a photo against the sunlight and you will still come away happy. Take a photo at night without the dedicated night mode, you will still get a photo that doesn’t have a lot of noise. And the ultra-wide snapper also does the job of a macro lens and does it much better than other phones.
The only downsides are that colours are slightly boosted, with more emphasis on reds and greens, and, secondly, the selfie camera could have been slightly better (when compared to Realme X7Max). Videos taken on the phone appear stable while the microphone picks up audio quite clearly, though Mi 11X does that better.
Should you buy it?
The only area where the phone falters is the interface, especially if you edit pictures on the device. Chances are you are switching from another brand to IQOO, which means you may not be familiar with the tags that the inbuilt photo editor uses. Another grouse. When rotating an image, there is a box that appears in the background which is slightly tilted; it’s a distraction and makes one feel that the image that is being edited is also skewered.
Otherwise, the battery offers the standard six-seven hours of on-screen usage while charging hardly takes times (full charge in 30 minutes). The list of best phones for 2021 has just got interesting. The IQOO 7 is perfect for gaming and great for photography. Truly, an all-rounder.
Things to know before you buy
Device: IQOO7 5G
Price: Rs 31,990 for 8GB+128GB, Rs 33,990 for 8GB+256GB and Rs 35,990 for 12GB+256GB
High notes
• Offers sustained performance while gaming
• Good HDR performance
• Surround sound with dual speakers; supports hi-res audio
• Excellent haptic feedback
Muffled notes
• Interface can be improved